Media Room

You don’t have to sell your soul to sell yourself. In fact, “sucking up” can be good for your career and your company.

In a Center for Creative Leadership (CCL) fieldbook, Dr. Gina Hernez-Broome, core faculty member at University of the Rockies, and CCL staff members Cindy McLaughlin and Stephanie Trovas, offer these reasons why you should self-promote:     

·       Talent does not equal recognition. Many high-performing individuals are overlooked.

·       It’s dangerous not to. Everyone is doing more with less. In times of layoffs, the most visible – not necessarily the most valuable – employees often make the cut.

·       Your boss can’t know everything. People are busy, organizations are dispersed, and technology has changed the way we work. Don’t let a lack of face-time limit your success.

·       Success requires many relationships. Keeping only your boss informed only goes so far. Many people need to know who you are and what you have to offer.

·       Your organization should have the right person in the right job. When you keep quiet about your skills and accomplishments or downplay your role, you are limiting yourself and the organization.

According to the authors, self-promotion connects the dots between what you do and why it matters. Authenticity, integrity and honesty allow you to promote yourself with positive results.

More information about how to self-promote is included in a second guide written by the trio titled “Selling Yourself Without Selling Out: A Leader’s Guide to Ethical Self-Promotion.” 

“The Truth About Sucking Up” and “Selling Yourself Without Selling Out” are both available for purchase through the Center for Creative Leadership.

About University of the Rockies

University of the Rockies is a graduate school specializing in master's and doctorate degree programs in the social and behavioral sciences. Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (www.ncahlc.org), classes are offered online and at the University's Colorado Springs, Colorado, campus. For more information, please visit www.rockies.edu or call Shari Rodriguez, associate vice president of Public Relations, at 866.621.0124 x2513.

About Dr. Gina Hernez-Broome
Dr. Gina Hernez-Broome is a core faculty member within University of the Rockies’ School of Organizational Leadership. Prior to joining the University, Hernez-Broome was a program manager and lead researcher at the Center for Creative Leadership. Other books include “Selling Yourself without Selling Out: A Leader’s Guide to Ethical Self-Promotion.”